The Swiftkit series book one: The Danger That Lurks
by Catlover39
Summary: Swi family and friends mean the world to him. Yet with the danger that lurks around every corner, it is hard to keep all of them safe.
1. Chapter 1

Swiftkit slowly blinked his eyes open. The sweet scent of his mother, Whiteflower, filled his tiny nostrils as he lifted his head to see her. He heard her purr and felt the rise and fall of her stomach as his body pressed against it. He mewed and wailed to wake her up and her head rose suddenly. "Shh," she hushed him, "You will wake the others." Yet when she turned her head around the mossy bedding, Whiteflower couldn't see her kits. "Where have they gone?" She questioned her five moon old kit.

Swiftkit shrugged, "maybe they went to get fresh kill outside of this stuffy rock den," He complained.

"One moon left honey," she sighed, "but go ahead and look for them." Swiftkit jumped up and down then darted into the main OakClan camp. He swung his head side to side to look for his siblings. He noticed his sister, Snowkit, talking to one of the elders, Mudstripe. He dashed over to her and waited for a chance to speak.

"-then, the terrible Iceclaw rushed out of camp and went to gather an army," he heard Mudstripe say. Snowkit gasped and looked at her paws.

"What if he comes back!"

"He can't," Mudstripe giggled, "he is with StarClan." There was a pause and Swiftkit started to talk.

"Where have you been Snowkit?" He asked his sister.

"Here obviously," she muttered.

"Well, mom wants to know when and where we go."

"Well mom can just calm down," Snowkit retorted. Swiftkit took a step back. "She doesn't need to know everywhere I go. I'm less than a moon away from being an apprentice." She held her head high and sighed when Swiftkit didn't say anything. "My StarClan Swiftkit, don't be so surprised. I am becoming an older, more mature cat."

"Kit," Mudstripe corrected her. "You are and will be a kit until you have earned your warrior name. Don't go walking around telling every cat you're the boss." Snowkit nodded and was obviously embarrassed. Even Swiftkit felt ashamed for talking to his mom the way he did in the den. "Go to your mother and apologize for leaving the den without permission."

"But the story and Iceclaw..."

"Will continue later, at a more responsible time," the elder responded. He walked off and that left the two kits standing side by side.

"Ugh, thanks a lot Swiftkit. You are such a kittypet," Snowkit hissed.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you always obey the warrior code. Even if the slightest thing is against it, you won't think twice. The WARRIOR CODE is for WARRIORS, not kits." Swiftkit hissed and raised his paw as if warning her to stop. Snowkit leaped onto his back and sunk her claws into his sides. He squealed managing to throw her off and pin her down.

"Who's the kittypet now?" He retorted. A smirk spread across Snowkit's face and she clamped her eyes shut, crying out loud.

"Why are you so mean?" She wailed and Swiftkit realized what she was doing. She was pretending to be the innocent one but before he could get off her, he felt a paw on his shoulder. He slowly turned to see his mother with a disappointed expression on her face.

"Swiftkit! Get off your sister!" She ordered, "I told you to get them, not hurt them!" Whiteflower closed her eyes and shook her head, "you should go back to the den." Swiftkit didn't argue even if it wasn't right. He trudged off to the den and sighed as he curled into a ball. He looked out the entrance to see his other siblings Goldkit and Toughkit.

The two kits scrambled up to their mother and mewed something. Swiftkit pointed his ears in their direction. "We saw the whole thing!" Toughkit explained, "she tackled him!"

"I did not!" Snowkit refused to accept her punishment, "oh, also... Owwww! My paw."

"Oh please," Goldkit meowed, "don't even try it. We saw you tackle him, we heard your argument, we saw and heard everything."

"Oh fine!" She put her 'hurt' paw on the ground. "Whatever, yeah I ran out to hear the story of Iceclaw. But they left too."

"Yes," Whiteflower admitted, "but don't tackle your siblings and don't get an attitude. Lastly, don't leave without permission." All the kits nodded and walked over to the den with their mother. Swiftkit sat up and scooted to the back to make room. His mother apologized and so did Snowkit, though she probably didn't mean it. She told Swiftkit he could wonder around camp anytime, but don't go outside OakClan camp. The kits asked permission to go with Swiftkit and she said yes, but to stick by him.

The kits were all walking around camp but no farther than a couple tail lengths away from Swiftkit. He was grabbing four mice for his brothers and sisters. Snowkit was trying to get Mudstripe's attention but with the elder's loss in hearing, it wasn't the easiest task. Goldkit was talking with the medicine cat, Shadowheart, and to Swiftkit, she obviously wanted to become a medicine cat. Toughkit was talking to an apprentice nearby. Swiftkit went to each of them with their mice but of course Snowkit refused.

"I can get my own," she spat. He rolled his eyes and gave the mouse to the Shadowheart. He apologized to everyone that they had to be his apprentices on a field trip around camp. Everyone excepted it and said they could be in the stuffy rock den instead, even Snowkit.

When the lazy day began to end, all the kits returned and fell asleep in a huddle. Swiftkit was last to go to slumber, thinking about the crazy day. Snowkit seemed meaner than ever... Was it really because she was just 'growing up?


	2. Apprentice name

Swiftkit awoke to a paw prodding his shoulder. There was less than a third of a moon before he would get his apprentice name and he was surely excited. Every morning, if Whiteflower wasn't awake, a sibling would come and wake up Swiftkit, begging to lead them into the main clearing of camp. When they get their apprentice name, they won't have to bug him, they could go on their own.

Yet when Swiftkit raised, it was not a sibling but an apprentice. The apprentice was Dottedpaw, a light and dark brown tom. Swiftkit stretched and trotted into the sunlight, blinking unbearably at the light.

"I'm sorry to wake you up Swiftkit," he apologized, "but Alfastar wants to see you." Swiftkit looked past Dottedpaw, still getting used to the light, he glanced at Alfastar's den.

"See me?" Swiftkit repeated puzzled, "why?" Dottedpaw shrugged but stepped out of his way. Flicking his tail to the leader's den, he trotted off to the apprentices den. Swiftkit padded past him and to his destination.

"Alfastar?" He called outside the den. The leader poked his head out of some vines that cover the entrance.

"Ah, Swiftkit, come in," he backed away and Swiftkit slowly followed. After a moment of silence, Alfastar inquired, "Have you been in here before?"

"No, never," he responded nervously.

"Well, what do you think?" He asked. Swiftkit took a while to gather his thoughts and look around the den.

"It's, uh... Nice, I guess."

"Well that's great! I'm glad you like it because until you get your apprentice name, this is your den. You share it with me." Swiftkit was bewildered, what in the name of StarClan made the leader want to share a den with him? "I know," Alfastar continued, "it will all make sense later though. When the time is right to tell you."

"Tell me what?" He mumbled under his shaky breath. Why, why did the leader do this? Was it because he asked to go outside of camp yesterday? He didn't leave, it was just a question... Between all the confusion, he decided to go outside of the den and get some air.

When he left, Goldkit walked up to him. "Is everything alright?" She asked concerned, "are you sick!?" She gasped, "should I fetch Shadowheart?"

"I'm not sick," he explained, "but when I woke up, Dottedpaw told me to go see Alfastar. When I went in his den, he told me it was also... My den. And this was my whole morning!"

"Wow, maybe it was because you asked to leave."

"It was a question!" He defended himself, "I want to see the outside of this stuffy camp..." He noticed cats staring at him and his sister, he must have said things too loudly.

"Uh..." She said, "Alright." Then she went to Shadowheart's den. Swiftkit looked around the clearing and was scared half to death. He was eager to get out of this mess and darted back into his new den.

...

Tonight was the night he and his siblings became apprentices. The kits sat at the base of a tall oak tree and stared up at their leader, whom was poised on a high and thick branch. This morning Swiftkit woke up in the leader's den in which was the last morning that would ever happen. He sat up with pride as well as his siblings and two other kits, Stumpkit, who got her name for she was a Pixie-bob, (Cats who have nearly no tail), and Puffkit.

"May all the kits six moons old step onto the Branch Of Loyalty," the leader announced. All the kits stalked up the roots and to the branch. Snowkit was first and in front of the cats below. "Snowkit, you will now be known as Snowpaw. Your mentor will be Longear. I expect you to pass your wisdom and agility to your apprentice," he said to Longear. The two cats touched noses and went to sit down. The cats cheered her name.

Stumpkit was next. The small she-cat sat in front of the cats with her tail tip resting on her paws and she sat up tall. Pride was shining in her eyes but so was a scared, nervous gleam. "Stumpkit, you will now be Stumppaw." The crowd of cats cheered early this time, chanting the pretty kit's new name. Alfastar waited then continued, "Whiteclaw will be your mentor-" Swiftkit cut off the rest of what his leader was saying. He was so happy his father got to be the mentor of an apprentice. Then he realized after Toughkit, his brother in front of the cats, about to get his name, was Swiftkit! He felt a shiver of nervousness run down his spine but tried to listen to his brother's ceremony.

"-As Toughpaw!" He heard Alfastar meow, "Shortwhisker will be your mentor. I expect you to pass your fighting secrets and knowledge to your apprentice." The two cats touched noses and sat down, the crowd cheering his new name. Toughpaw seemed as if he were going to pop with excitement. Swiftkit was happy for him, but not so happy when he stood in front of the cats.

Alfastar didn't start right away like he did the other's. He looked at the medicine cat, Shadowheart, and at Swiftkit. Then he mewed, "it has been about a quarter moon sense you began to sleep in my den. I know you are confused about it- and so is the rest of the clan..." He paused, "but there is a prophecy." Swiftkit's eyes shot open, p-prophecy about him! "It was a dream," he continued, "about a fast and swift small cat of white with an orange tail. You Swiftkit, shall save the clan." Swiftkit was stunned as the leader described his appearance. "I wanted to keep my eye on you Swiftkit- now known as Swiftpaw. And I, Alfastar shall be your mentor."

Alfastar jumped onto the Branch Of Loyalty and touched noses with Swiftpaw. The crowd cheered his name and he went to sit by his mother. Then, Goldkit walked up to the crowd and stared nervously. Instead of Alfastar speaking, Shadowheart did.

"It is about time I chose an apprentice," she admitted and Goldkit stared astonished. "I would like to ask Goldkit if she would like to take part in being a medicine cat- taking care of your clan."

"Yes!" Goldkit responded.

"Then you shall hence be known as Goldpaw, StarClan will see you at GlowStones tomorrow night, when the moon is gone." The crowd cheered and after Puffpaw, the clan began to go to their dens. Cats stared at Swiftpaw, the untold prophecy is now... Told. How would we save the clan? How could he? From what?

When he entered the den, his head still spinning, he saw all the apprentices. "Wow," he accidentally said aloud.

"Wow yourself," Puffpaw mewed walking up to him, "that's- that's..."

"Amazing?" Stumppaw finished for her.

"Yeah! I wish I were in a prophecy, how come you get to be in one? No fair!"

"Please," Stumppaw sighed, "sounds like saving the clan is a tough job. You wouldn't want to mess up your precious fur Puffpaw." Puffpaw looked side to side, embarrassed to Swiftpaw.

"My fur won't get in the way of my warrior name!" She spat, "unlike your kittypet past."

"Hey, what's all the hissing about?" Toughpaw complained when he walked in the den.

"Kittypet?" Snowpaw repeated, "you were a kittypet? Now you are an apprentice?! No way! I'm not training with you!"

"Hey!" Goldpaw padded in behind Toughpaw, "stop your fighting! So what if she was a kittypet, she will probably do better than you Snowpaw! Now I don't want to hear it, it's our first night in."

"Heh." A sudden voice chuckled in the back of the den. Every cat turned to see who it was and saw Scruffpaw, the last apprentice other than Dottedpaw. "Six new cats, huh?" He trotted up to the new apprentices. "Nice to meet ya. Don't fight please, it's stressful when it's your first night."

All the cats nodded and introduced themselves. Swiftpaw curled up in a ball near Stumppaw, who was lying away from the group.

"You okay?" He asked suddenly. She perked her head up and looked at him.

"Yes, but why are you talking to me? I know you will save the clan and all but..."

"It has nothing to do with the clan," Swiftpaw chuckled, "no cat should be alone."

"Oh, thanks." She said lying her head back down, "sorry about our argument, my friend and I tend to have those."

"So do us siblings," he said back smiling warmly at her. He then stopped when she gave him a peculiar look. Did he already like her? Surely it was just sympathy. He looked over at Snowpaw, she was talking to Dottedpaw, laughing and purring. She actually seemed to smile lovingly at him. Swiftpaw almost gasped out loud and narrowed his eyes at her. He was technically only a moon older than her... He shook his head in confusion and put his head on his paws. His eyes slowly blinked until they shut completely.


End file.
